For the first time we have a comprehensive selection of recipes superbly illustrated to show Malay fare at its very best. Easy to prepare recipes, with microwave hints and a guide to spices and seasonings. This extract gives an idea what kind of recipes can be awaited. Mainly the following types of food are introduced: Spices, Herbs and Seasonings, Snacks and Soups, Fish and Seafood, Chicken Meat, Bredies and Breyani, Curries, Puris, Rotis and Rice, Vegetables, Salads and Sambals, Blatjang, Atjars and Konfyt, Desserts and Beverages, Biscuits, Koesisters, Fritters and Breads, Cakes and Pastries.

Grease and line a large loaf tin. Sift flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl. Pour boiling water into a bowl, add dates and sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda. Set aside for 15 minutes, or until cool. Cream butter or margarine and sugar until light and fluffy, then add beaten eggs and mix well. Add flour mixture, dates and walnuts and mix to a soft dropping consistency. Pour into loaf tin and bake at 170 °C for 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours, on middle shelf of oven. Allow to stand in tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Makes 1 large loaf.

Example: Oumens onder die Kombers

Frikkadels in cabbage leaves.

The mutton stew must be very soft and there must be a lot of gravy before the cabbage parcels are added.

Heat oil in a fairly large saucepan. Braise onions until browned, about 15 minutes, then add meat and fry, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add spices and water and cook until meat is tender, about 45 minutes. Separate cabbage into leaves and remove veins from each. Wash leaves well, then steam until soft on top of meat, remove and set aside. Meanwhile prepare frikkadels. Combine steak mince in a large basin with spices, egg, onion and bread. (The texture must be loose.) Place about 30 ml frikkadel mixture in centre of each cabbage leaf and roll up into parcels. Place parcels on top of stewed mutton and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with nutmeg, on white rice. Serves 6-8.

Example: Dhaltjies

These chilli bites are the perfect party snack.

You can vary this recipe by adding 250 ml sweetcorn kernels instead of spinach or by adding a grated potato.

Sift pea flour and cake flour into a fairly large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except baking powder and oil, and mix with sufficient water to make a thick batter. Stir in baking powder just before frying. Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Drop 15 ml mixture at a time into hot oil and fry until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn over and brown other side. Drain on absorbent paper or in a colander and serve hot. Makes about 24. Bhajias: Instead of shredding spinach leaves, break into 6 cm squares and dip in batter. Shallow-fry on both sides in hot oil until crisp, about 10 minutes in all. Drain well on absorbent paper and serve.

This is an extract from the book: The Cape Malay Cookbook, by Faldela Williams.